


Fate's Last Battle

by IceJazzElleth



Category: DCU (Comics), Justice Society of America (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sad, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27124340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceJazzElleth/pseuds/IceJazzElleth
Summary: A small fic about why Kent hung up the helm and stopped being Doctor Fate for so long. Heavily featuring Inza Nelson with guest appearances from the JSA.
Relationships: Inza Nelson/Kent Nelson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Fate's Last Battle

_No light, no light in your bright blue eyes  
I never knew daylight could be so violent  
A revelation in the light of day  
You can't choose what stays and what fades away_

When the Tower of Fate shook, you knew there was trouble.

Inza sat, staring at the fireplace, fingers gently tapping against the wooden table, steaming cup of tea left unattended. Kent had informed her often enough that she was his tether. Without her here, he could not easily find his way home. To the help and safety that she offered. So she must stay in the Tower.

It shook.

The Tower of Fate had no windows. There was nowhere for the windows to look out onto. It did not exist on the physical plane. And yet it shook.

In one of Kent’s books, Inza had read about scrying in the flames. Perhaps she could try and cast such a spell to find out what was going on? Any clue would be a balm to the fear and dread she felt for her husband.

The Tower shook and her cup of tea fell from the table and shattered against the cold, hard ground.

Inza got to her feet and paced over to the bookshelf. She had no magic, but surely there would be something in here that would help her aid her husband.

There was a bright light.

The red head turned and looked towards the fire. A golden helm sat on the table, empty eyes staring at her.

“Heavens! No, no, no, no…” Inza cried, rushing over to it.

“KENT!”

There was no Kent.

The helmet sat and stared ominously out at her.

“What have you done with him!” She screamed at it and the spirit of Order that rested within the cold metal.

He gave no answer.

Nabu was what gave power to Doctor Fate. The Lord of Order who had taken Kent as a child and raised him as his own. Had plucked Kent’s childhood from him and shaped him to be a soldier for Order. Nabu was the creature who lurked in their marriage, Kent’s loyalty to his wife divided by the mystic presence. Inza had always feared and dreaded the day when Kent would not return because of Doctor Fate.

_Inza…_

Green eyes snapped to the helmet. The voice reverberated in her skull. Deep as the ocean.

“Nabu.” She growled.

_Kent lives. But he cannot win this fight. The Justice Society cannot win this fight. The forces of Chaos have amassed and seek to turn the Kali Yuga in their favour. My fellow Lords of Order have abandoned this fight – believing we cannot win. A new world, a world of Chaos will be born. There will be no place for humanity._

Inza stared at the helmet. This was the first she had heard Nabu. In her heart of hearts, she felt every word dripped with venom. But Kent… Her husband.

“Kent.” Her voice echoed her heart.

_Man cannot defeat this. Force and brute mystical might will not succeed. Woman… the power to heal. Mend. Fix. Join me, Mrs Nelson._

Inza threw the helmet into the fire. It was a gut reaction. But no words could describe how much she despised that helmet.

“That’s sexist, Nabu.”

_The greatest power is to heal, Mrs Nelson. You are a fighter, a warrior yet your magic lies in fixing and making whole. Your husband is a healer who desires to make the world whole but whose power is in fighting. You are completion._

Inza stared at the helmet. The Tower shook and stone began to crumble.

_Take me._

Kent…

Inza closed her eyes and dashed her hands into the fire, lifting the gleaming helm. It was warm to the touch. Lifting it, Inza slipped the helmet down onto her head.

Mystical energy swirled around her. Power that Inza had never known. It flowed through her veins and gave breath to her lungs. They slipped through the Tower and into the real world and faltered.

“I’m not giving you control.” Inza said through gritted teeth. She could feel the energy of Nabu invading every sense. Like the vines of ivy that sought to suffocate its host, so Nabu sought to control her, as he did her husband. But Inza did not trust him. Her teeth gritted as she fought the influence.

Flight. She had to fly to Kent.

They rose a few meters into the air before plummeting.

_Stop fighting me, Mrs Nelson. Give me control._

Nabu’s voice was commanding. Seeking to push her own mentality aside.

“I am Inza Nelson. Do you not think I read about resisting possession?” She said.

Inza made another attempt to fly but did not rise. Fine.

_Left_.

She glanced left and saw a tendril of energy flying straight towards her. Inza tried to fire a blast of energy at it but that only gave it pause. She fired another but it petered out.

_Give me control._ Nabu whispered.

Inza clenched her first.

“I need to go to my husband.”

_We need to save Kent._

They raised a hand and light shone from them. The tendril retreated from the golden glow.

With a start, Inza realised that Nabu, in his own way cared for Kent. While she despised Nabu for killing Kent’s father and stealing his childhood… Nabu viewed Kent as a son and dear friend. Kent had broken the ceaseless waiting. Nabu had spent millennia alone, waiting. Inza knew that feeling too. She closed her eyes.

“I don’t have to like you.” She muttered.

_I know._

They felt the power around them grow as they shifted through planes to arrive at the epicentre of the pandemonium.

It was a one-way trip. They knew this.

Inza could sense the power that it would take to hold the universe together. Here where everything was breaking down. But it was for Kent. She could see his form, crumpled on the ground. Sheltered by Alan’s green light as the man tried to keep the unconscious JSA members safe. It was only by his sheer force of will that he still stood.

Inza walked forward. They walked forward. Protect Kent. Save the world. So long as they focused on this, their fragile alliance would be maintained.

We have to fix this. Hold it together.

Their hand reached out to touch the fabric of reality and seek out the frayed edge. Their searching fingers found it and they poured their energy in as they pulled the edges together again. Whole again.

Their body burned with power. Mystical energy turned to fire in their veins. Breath scorched their throat and lungs. Chaos sought to rip them asunder but they burnt bright. Self sacrifice for the greater good. Could Chaos understand that? They flickered. Nabu was certain that Chaos did not. Inza was not so certain.

They focused on the task at hand.

Their heartbeat was slowing as life force mixed with mystical power to heal what was broken. Reality had to be fixed before the Kali Yuga passed or Chaos would win and Order would be pushed away.

“Inza…” Kent’s voice shook, his hand was on their blue clad arm. The final thread was fixed.

Nabu’s power allowed her these few seconds. She smiled at Kent and placed a golden, gloved hand over his. His palm turned over to hold her hand. She stumbled and fell into his arms. His legs bucked, weak from the fight and he gently carried her down to the ground. A green light flickered over her.

“Kent, it’s not good.” Alan came into Inza’s narrowing view. She clutched Kent’s hand tighter. They had saved him.

“Please, don’t leave me.” Kent whispered, clutching her hand. “Please, love.”

“We saved you.” Inza smiled, looking into her husband’s eyes.

“Hold on. Doctor Mid-Nite is coming round. He can fix this. He’ll heal you.” Kent begged. She could feel his hand against her neck. It was faint and far away. Her eyes closed. She was tired. Her body ached, deep within the bone.

“Inza, stay with me. It won’t be long. Please. Just a few minutes.”

Her eyes flickered open, exhausted but every last second of Kent’s face was important.

“I love you, Kent.” Inza breathed.

_Time to go._

There was a note of sorrow to Nabu’s words, as if he were sorry to see her go. She could feel the magic he used to give her these last moments slip. Her spirit ascended.

* * *

Kent clutched his wife’s hand. She had hated the helmet more than anything. She had scolded him every time he put it on. _That helmet will be the death of you!_ The voice ringed so clearly in his eyes. He felt Alan’s hand on his shoulder. Wildcat pulling him into a tight hug. Jay was there, leaning and providing a gentle presence. It all seemed so far away now that his spitfire had died. His Inza. Carefully, Kent lifted the helmet from her head to see the gentle, peaceful smile that rested on her face, still gazing into his eyes. She had been right. Inza had always been right and she had paid the price. Kent made a vow to himself and to the spirit of his beloved wife that he would never wear the helm again. The price had been too high. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you've enjoyed this. Just a little thought I had to explain the long absence of Fate in Young Justice and as a little thought experiment. The lyrics are from Florence and the Machine - No Light, No Light.


End file.
